The present invention relates to a portable animal fluid dispenser.
It is often desirable to water an animal during a long walk. This is especially true when the weather is very warm. Water supply is not always available. This has created a need for a portable water dispenser. Typical examples are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,720,184; 5,105,768; 5,636,592; 5,738,039; 5,809,934 and 5,809,935. These styles generally include a handle for carrying. They also require some manipulation in setting up or using the device. Some of the structures are not necessarily stable for use by the animal without aid of the owner.
The present invention provides a portable animal fluid dispenser which is hands-free. It includes a reservoir having bottom and side walls and a container detachably mounted to a first side wall of the reservoir. The container has an outlet in fluid communication with a passage in the side wall and a closure removably coupled to the passage. A carrier is provided and shaped to attach the carrier to an article worn by a person, for example a belt. The carrier may be integral with the reservoir or separate and have an opening generally the shape of the cross-section of the container for receiving the container. The carrier includes an attachment which may be hook shaped.
Preferably, the passage in the first side wall is adjacent the bottom wall. The side wall includes a threaded receiver structure encompassing the passage and receiving a threaded structure of the container. The container preferably is an open ended container. A tether connects the closure to the reservoir. The tether and closure may be integral to the receiver structure. The closure my be a plug received in the passage. The dispenser has a longitudinal axis parallel to the bottom wall and the length of the container along the longitudinal axis is greater than the length of the reservoir along the longitudinal axis. The dimensions of the container and reservoir are interrelated to assure that the reservoir will not overflow and nearly all the fluid will flow into the reservoir. The reservoir can be square shaped or cylindrical.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.